Welsh clubs veto play-off plans

Automatic relegation and promotion will continue in the Welsh Premiership after the Welsh Rugby Union's plans were voted down by its member clubs.

The Union had hoped to introduce a play-off where the bottom Premiership side faced Division 1's overall winner.

But at Sunday's Annual General Meeting the clubs voted against those plans.

The bottom Premiership side will be automatically relegated and replaced by the winners of a play-off between the Division 1 East and 1 West winners.

However, the Swalec League side that earns promotion to the Premiership must still fulfil the Union's criteria, which includes meeting a set standard of ground, facilities and player development.

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WRU chairman David Pickering was disappointed with the result of the vote but said it had been a positive and useful AGM.

"At the end of the day it's down to the clubs on these key decisions, so we take what the clubs say - we have to - and we put them into the constitution," Pickering said.

"We put the case for a play-off in 2002, that was defeated, we've put the case again for the same situation this year and again it was overwhelmingly defeated."

At the AGM the WRU said it plans to make the grassroots game a priority, with a funding review aimed at identifying target areas for resources.

The development of rugby in north Wales was also identified as a key area, along with an increased focus on rugby in schools across Wales.